Burlesque
by you'remylandahoy
Summary: Piper is a dancer at a new burlesque club that's recently opened up. Alex works in a drug cartel earning millions. I really suck at summaries, please just give it a read! Rating will change in later chapters.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors note: This is my first time posting and I'm super nervous! Read, review and enjoy!  
><strong>**I do not own anything to do with OITNB.**

Chapter one.

Alex Vause wandered aimlessly, weaving past groups of adults, young and old, all of which seemed to be having in depth conversations or abruptly laughing over some remark that's been made. Many of these people flagged by a younger male or female dangling off of their arm or draping a wandering hand onto their waist. Alex assumed that a lot of them we're what she called in this particular business their 'main mules'. Alex shuddered slightly whilst looking at all the fresh, youthful, innocent faces. The idea of getting attached to someone that carries drugs or money through customs for her so that she could make thousands, scratch that, _millions,_ just didn't sit right in her mind. She spotted a tray of champagne being carried by a waiter and hurriedly grabbed two glasses, both for herself of course.

She made her way to the side of the room that she'd been heading toward, not stopping at all to chat to anyone. She really couldn't find it in herself to stand and talk to anyone whilst wearing her ridiculously high heels that she'd felt obliged to wear ever since the first time she'd came to one of these parties and she'd arrived in boots. She didn't care what people thought of her any more, but she was eighteen back then and fresh into the business. She gracefully placed herself onto one of the deluxe leather sofas and positioned her remaining glass of Champaign onto the glass table top beside her. She'd finished her first glass whilst walking through the herds of bodies.

Alex had always hated these "business parties", but she knew exactly how crucial it was that she attend them, considering that she was actually on the higher end of the food chain that was made up of drug lords, drug dealers and all the other labels that were put upon all the members that made up the drug cartel. The way she saw it, they were just a room full of criminals. Filthy rich criminals. Whilst trying to sip her champagne rather than gulp it, she took a moment to appreciate the fact that she was on the higher end of the scale. It meant that there was a lot less chance of her getting arrested. Or killed.

A few minutes passed before she gave in to her urges and checked the time on her phone for the 5th time that evening. She'd only been here for an hour and a half and already she couldn't wait to leave. She'd spoken to Fahri and Kubra upon arriving, both had been pretty brief conversations and both were filled with positive feedback on how much Alex was benefiting the empire. She sincerely didn't see what else she needed to do. Everybody was aware of Alex Vauses' existence. Many praised her. Some feared her. But every single face in that room knew exactly who she was. And with that thought fresh in her mind, she proceeded to check her phone.

_7:45pm  
>Nicky (1)<em>

Alex unlocked her phone upon seeing her best friends name illuminated across the screen.

Nicky: _Vause, how long 'til you get outta that fancy ass party? It's FRIDAY. Come to my apartment when you're done so that we can go out, I'm dying over here. OH, AND WRAP ME UP SOME OF THOSE LITTLE CRAB CAKES THAT THEY SERVE AT THOSE THINGS. _

Alex let out a low raspy chuckle under her breath and muttered to herself about crab cakes before tapping out a reply.

Alex: _Isn't it about time you stop being such a free-loader? Buy your own crab cakes! I'll be there in fifteen minutes, I can't stand another second of this!_

Alex put her phone back into the pocket of leather jacket and zipped it up. Getting to her feet, she straightened out her black revealing-yet-elegant dress out and left quickly, abandoning her half a glass of champagne and entering the coat room to grab a bag with her boots in, she'd brought it along because she'd hoped Nicky would text her. She waved her goodbyes to anyone that noticed that she was leaving. She hovered at the food table briefly before her departure, grabbing herself one last fruit skewer. Outside she got into one of the awaiting cars that had been hired for the night to drive those attending to their desired locations.

After giving the driver the address, Alex changed into her boots in the back of the car, then proceeded to watch the city fly past her, pedestrians dotted along the street, many of them looked as if they we're going out for the night. It made Alex's mind wander to what would be in store for her and Nicky tonight. She played with blue tints that lined the bottoms of her jet black hair.

Eventually they reached the destination and Alex exited the car with no more than a smile and a thank you, knowing that she didn't have to pay for the service. She took long flowing strides towards the doors of the apartment building that Nicky lived in. She pressed the buzzer that would gain her entrance to the top floor and Nicky buzzed her in. The apartment building was modern yet very sophisticated. Nicky came from a family that had a lot of money and therefore she could afford to live in a very swanky apartment, despite having a poor relationship with her mother. Alex tapped on the door and Nicky answered within a matter of seconds.

"Hey, you're lookin'… expensive!" Nicky greeted, running a hand through her undomesticated locks of hair.

"Was that a compliment? I can't tell with you." Alex mused. She placed the bag that contained her heels on Nicky's kitchen counter, giving her apartment a once over. It wasn't quite as big as Alex's apartment, but at this current moment in time it was cleaner, which wasn't common for Nicky's apartment. "Why's it so clean in here Nichols? It doesn't smell of smoke or vagina and I can't see any clothes thrown over any furniture?"

"Ahhh, my mom came over this morning so I cleaned up last night… Y'know, so she doesn't revoke my fuckin' livin' privileges or anything." She rolled her eyes, remembering the time her mother stopped by one morning after Nicky had thrown a wild party and started lecturing her about cleanliness and how she 'doesn't pay for her to live here to make a mess' she 'pay's for her live here to keep her out of trouble'. Nicky shook the words from her mind like she was shaking a badly drawn picture from an etcher-sketch.

Ale debated for a moment whether or not she should ask Nicky about how this particular meeting with her mother went, but she decided against it. If Nicky wanted to talk about it, she would. Instead Alex reached into her pocket and remembered the small amount of crab cakes that she's foraged before leaving. "Hey, I got you these… My pocket smells like a fishing boat now" Alex crumpled her nose at the smell.

"Ahhhhh Vause, you got 'em!"

"I'm pretty sure that I bring you back more food from those parties than I actually consume myself." Alex noted, smirking. Nicky mulled this over for no more than two seconds before biting into her crab cake. Alex watched her, eyebrows raised as Nicky finished all three in under a minute. They we're only bite sized, but nevertheless she was still surprised. The taller woman cleared her throat to get Nicky's attention before making her inquiry.

"Where are we going tonight anyway? And before you suggest it, _no, _I do _not _wanna hang out in that bar we went to last week. That band that we're playing were awful and I'm pretty sure that a cockroach crawled outta that tray of nuts…" Alex trailed off, nauseated at the thought.

"Hey, ain't nothin' wrong with Side Boob!" Nicky half-heartedly defended the band before proceeding "there's this new joint opened up downtown, real classy."

"Yeah? What is it, a strip bar?" Alex chuckled.

"Well, not exactly... But you're close Vause. Very close." Nicky's eyes twinkled with what Alex could only guess was mischief Nicky grabbed her wallet, phone and keys before strolling towards her front door.

"Wait, what? Oh god, it's not a brothel is it? Because I've told you like, a hundred times; I don't do brothels!" Nicky locked the front door behind them and buzzed for the elevator.

"Jheez Vause, calm down! It's not a brothel!"

"Then what is it?" Alex questioned with genuine curiosity, beginning to wonder if she was going to be over-dressed. She lost her cool for a minute, looking down at her boots and worrying if they'd be suitable for this 'real classy' place. She then shifted her eyes over to Nicky and realised that she was also wearing boots, she regained her composure

They waited a few moments for the elevator to reach the top floor and both stepped inside as the doors opened neatly and Nicky thumbed the black button with the golden G on it. Alex adjusted her glasses before turning to Nicky and raising her eyebrows, demanding an answer. Without looking at Alex, a grin spread across her face before revealing their destination.

"It's a burlesque house!"


	2. Chapter 2

2

"Wait, Nicky, how did you hear about this club? Because the last time you chose a new place to hang out it turned out to be a bar full of fucking truckers!" Alex teased at her hair slightly with her black fine toothed comb, adjusting her quiff before slipping the comb back into her pocket and turning to Nicky with one of her eyebrows raised, internally shuddering as the memory of fifty-something year old truck drivers approached her all night long attempting to woo her with their stained wife beaters and receding hair lines.

"Vause, calm down. It's not like other places, Red owns the joint! She told me that she's been in this kinda business before and she thought it was about time she opened up a business of her own! And would you _please _stop calling it a club. If Red hears you sayin' that then she'll boot you out on the street and I sure as hell won't be followin' you out onto the street! I've heard this burlesque shit is pretty hot! Also, just for the record, those old guys in tat bar were very nice people offering to buy us drinks all night!" Nicky let a small smile play on the edges of her lips as Alex eyebrows raised even further. She shook her head and sighed at her best friend before adjusting her glasses and looked out of the window of the taxi. The pair had been in the taxi for about twenty minutes, so she assumed that they'd be there any second now. Just as the thought crossed her mind, the car came to an abrupt halt, causing the girls to jolt forward slightly. Nicky Glared at the driver before handing him a screwed up handful of tens and ones, then quickly taking a few of the notes back and shoving them back into her pocket. "No tip for you anymore, you messed up my hair with that shitty attempt at "pullin' over"'

"Honey, ya hairs already a mess!"

"Fuck you!" Nicky chimed, waving her middle finger at him as she got out of the taxi and continued to hold it up as she walked onto the sidewalk. She then held her position for another 15 seconds before the taxi driver finally sped off without acknowledging her.

"You really ore one classy chick, aren't you?" Alex chuckled, she then scanned the area around her trying to figure out what way they had to go.

"Oh, I'm the classiest"

"So where've we gotta go?" She continued to look around, almost beginning to doubt her wild haired companion. They were on a nice street, it looked too nice to be the home of a burlesque house that Nicky knew about. Nicky didn't come to this part of town. It was quiet and sophisticated. The past of town they lived in was lively, yet still very classy. Alex lived fairly close to Nicky, about thirteen blocks away.

Alex turned to Nicky, watching as she glanced around at the houses and began to wander down the street a little more, mumbling to herself. Alex couldn't pick up exactly what she was saying, but she heard numbers. Only then did she realise that Nicky didn't actually know what house she was looking for. Just as Alex opened her mouth to make a comment on the fact that Nicky was kind of lost, the smaller woman spun on her heel before holding her hand up to shush Alex with a grin spread across her face. "It's at the end! It looks like a fuckin' haunted house or some shit. I don't know, I've seen pictures though…" Nicky trailed off again, before looking at Alex expectedly. Alex stared back for a second before realising than Nicky wanted her to lead the way.

"Which fucking end of the street, genius? This is a long street and you decided to get us dropped right in the middle of it." Alex stated calmly, almost smirking at the situation but ceasing to do so. Alex waited for Nicky to realise that she wasn't going to help her out. So Nicky glared at her before smiling and taking control.

"Uhh… I don't know, let's ask somebody!" Nicky cocked her head, proud of her very simple idea. She then looked around, realising that there wasn't actually anyone around. Alex watched as Nicky looked around with a painfully confused look on her face before turning back to Alex and then looking around once more. As she watched Nicky, she saw her suddenly burst with excitement as a car started to approach them.

"Oh, god." Alex observed as Nicky strutted over to the curb and stuck her arm out, waving the car down. The car rolled to a gentle stop, leaving the engine on and rolling its window down.

Nicky never failed to impress Alex. Somehow, she always managed to be right when it came to the "kindness of strangers". Nicky had gotten them a ride two minutes down the street from a young man that also happened to be heading to the burlesque house. He had told them that he was a security guard there and that his girlfriend was a bartender. He'd driven them to the front gates and told them that they'd be charged a fee at the door. Nicky didn't bother to tell him that she was close enough to the owner to not have to pay.

After a journey that'd taken way too long for Alex's liking, they were finally standing at the large wooden doors of the Burlesque house, waiting behind a couple of young men dressed in fitted suits with their hair slicked back. It all felt very old fashioned, lost somewhere between the 1920's and the 1950's. Alex liked it. She liked the atmosphere surrounding her and she wasn't even inside yet. She was beginning to think that it was all totally worth the wait.

The pair approached the door and as they did so they were met by a tall, smartly dressed man that carried himself with something that could only be described as pure arrogance. He raked his eyes over at the two women as he fondled his moustache before clearing his throat. "Good evening ladies, welcome to Red's. That'll be fifty dollars a head."

Alex cringed at him, all of him. Every little thing about him repulsed her. He oozed with arrogance. She took it upon herself to speak before Nicky could, knowing that if she let Nicky talk to this jerk, they wouldn't be going in at all. "Good evening." She spoke in a low, assertive tone. "We're friends of Red. She's expecting us." Short and simple, nothing too complex for the doorman to understand. Alex gave him a once over and came to the conclusion that he looked like the kind of guy that'd star in a 1980's porno movie.

"Usually friends of Red's turn up before we open. So once again, fifty dollars each please, ladies." His tone was harsh this time, he sneered as he continued to gawk at them. His eyes falling onto Alex's chest. This didn't go unnoticed by either lady. Nicky's temperature rose at the idea of having to pay money to some jackass to get into a place that she'd been invited to by someone that was practically a mother to her.

"Listen here you perverted little weasel, you either let us in or I'll get Red to come to the fuckin' door myself." Nicky growled before pulling out her phone and swiping through her contacts. Hovering her finger over the call button.

The doorman ran his tongue along his teeth before shifting his eyes down to the phone in Nicky's hand. He read the name 'Galina Reznikov' on the screen before stepping aside and letting to women pass. As Alex passed him, she couldn't help but glare. Her green eyes stared into his brown ones, scowling. She flicked her eyes away from him to follow Nicky, who'd already wandered ahead slightly.

Entering the stage room, Alex was taken aback by the interior. Round tables scattered everywhere and longer ones nearer the back. Soft lounge chairs flagged the tables and there was a bar on the opposite side of the room. The lighting was dimmed but not too much, the stage was currently covered by a red velvet curtain. Alex was pleased to see that the show hadn't started yet. The entire room was buzzing with excitement and Alex found herself becoming more and more drawn in by the environment. She felt Nicky pull on her hand and before she realised what was going on she was being pushed onto one of the chairs. Nicky had found a table near the stage. She then wandered off towards the bar and Alex continued to gaze around at her new favourite place, becoming absorbed in the sheer glamor of the room that she was currently in and the setting that she was a part of.

Nicky shortly retuned with their drinks. She placed a cocktail down for herself and handed Alex a double Jack Daniels and coke. "I wasn't sure if you wanted it straight or not so I went with my gut." Nicky exclaimed, toasting her friend before drinking half of her cocktail. Alex wasn't sure what it was but she could defiantly smell the vodka.

"Next time forget the coke." Alex winked before draining half of the glass. "When does it start?" Alex questioned before a loud track began to play over her voice and her attention instantly fell upon the stage. The curtains began to open and a hush fell across to room, the hum of voices ceased to exist and every single being in the room allowed their eyes to fall onto the darkened stage.

A spotlight hit the stage revealing a cluster of women, all wearing red corsets and heels. Each girls hair was tied up and their make up all done the same; long eyelashes, winged eyeliner and red lipstick.

Alex's concentration immediately shifted as she saw the blonde in the middle step forward as the women began to dance. The woman at the front lifted her head and Alex sat in a stunned silence, her mouth fell open and she could practically feel the woman's beauty radiate off of her bronzed skin.

Alex's earlier beliefs that this was going to be her new favourite place were all confirmed in that moment.


End file.
